Jewish Nashvillians reflect on Passover's continued relevance

Mar. 25, 2013

Rabbi Yitzchok Tiechtel and his son Levi set up a traditional Passover Seder table in March 2010. / Jae S. Lee / File / The Tennessean

Rabbi Yitzchok Tiechtel of Chabad of Nashville stands with Jeremy Benjamin of Brentwood, who recently had his Bar Mitzvah. / Rick Malkin

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Passover, which began at sundown Monday, has ancient roots in the Exodus of Jewish slaves from Egypt, but faith leaders say it remains relevant for contemporary worshippers.

“Passover today is a modern-day story,” said Rabbi Yitzchok Tiechtel of Chabad of Nashville. “We’re all slaves to different things in our lives.”

Passover — and the ritualistic Seder meal that marks its beginning — is a time to gather, free from those distractions and recount the Exodus, he said.

Chabad of Nashville held a community Seder meal Monday and will hold another today.

Each attendee will be called to consider the “personal exodus” he or she must make, Tiechtel said.

The Exodus story remembered at Passover helps reconnect local Jews to their commitment to social justice, according to Abbie Wolf, spokeswoman for the Jewish Federation of Nashville.

“It renews our call every year to remember that once we were slaves,” she said. “The Jewish community at Passover and all year round focuses on social justice, knowing that once we were strangers in the land of Egypt.”